Advance Review: Your Pal Archie #2

Your Pal Archie #2 continues to tell retro style Archie stories that are equal parts weird, funny, and utterly mundane. In the first story, Ty Templeton, Dan Parent, and Andre Szymanowicz show what All-American ginger Archie Andrews does after winning 15 million dollars in the lottery while the second one focuses on Reggie Mantle, who is behaving a bit differently than his jerk-ish self. It’s a fun reading perfect for catching the last few rays of the summer by the pool or with a milkshake that will probably pale in comparison to one of Pop Tate’s.

Unlike his portrayal in Riverdale and to a lesser extent in the Archie reboot, Templeton writes Archie as morally exemplary in the lead story of Your Pal Archie #2. Unlike his supporting cast, including Principal Weatherbee and his parents, Archie doesn’t blow his big payday on a shiny new sports car or Les Paul, but buys everyone sodas at Pop’s and just wants to chill with his friends. He seems happier to sit at a booth with Jughead, Kevin, and Betty than to come into great wealth and definitely has his life priorities in order. However, Templeton and Parent give him just a bit of neurosis when it comes to his relationship with Veronica, which he is insecure about because he think she’s only dating The main story of Your Pal Archie #2 is mostly broad, wish fulfillment comedy, but it has some class consciousness to go with its slapstick, especially in Archie and Veronica’s interactions.

Ty Templeton and Dan Parent switch things up a little bit in the second story of Your Pal Archie #2 and have Reggie be the lead character of sorts as he bullies Dilton Doiley and makes everyone even the badass mohawk sporting Moose super angry at him. I laughed out loud at Betty’s sass face when she tries to hit on him. Betty is super underutilized in the first two issues of Your Pal Archie, and I hope she has a showcase story down the road because Templeton writes her as both independent and having feelings for Archie.

Except for some hilarious events at the end of the story, Templeton’s plot seems truncated, but it’s just a part of Your Pal Archie‘s formula of a full length lead story and a shorter second story with a cliffhanger. It’s the ultimate win win situation because you get both a serialization and closure plus a throwback story to top things off. Plus Parent and Templeton’s art is cute as hell with super memorable faces.

In Your Pal Archie #2, Ty Templeton and Dan Parent go full wacky with plots centered around millions of dollars, gourmet dining with Veronica, and a strange football injury while grounding them in a redhead who just wants to hang out with his friends and eat hot dogs with ballpark mustard. And that’s why I love Archie and the company that bears his name.

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